INS Sindhurakshak raised on pontoon in Mumbai dockyard

New Delhi: Ten months after it sank following an explosion killing all 18 personnel on board, the Russian- origin Kilo Class submarine INS Sindhurakshak has been brought out of water and rested on a pontoon in the naval dockyards in Mumbai.

INS Sindhurakshak

Salvage operation was going inside the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on August 15, 2013. After a diesel-powered submarine INS Sindhurakshak exploded and sank at a dock in Mumbai on Tuesday night in which all 18 sailors on board are feared dead, and other injured admitted in the Navel hospital INHS Ashwini, Colaba. PIC/SHADAB KHAN

The submarine has been brought out of water and kept on a pontoon by an American salvage firm. After this, the Board of Inquiry (BoI) looking into the the mishap, will be able to continue its probe into the accident, Navy officials said here.

The BoI was stuck as it was awaiting the salvage of the submarine for continuing its probe further to find out the exact reasons behind the sinking of the submarine, they said. Indian arm of US-based M/S Resolve Marine won the contract in January to salvage the submarine, which sank on August 14 last year after an explosion.

A 160-day deadline was set for it to complete the job. The BoI is headed by a Rear Admiral-rank officer. The sinking of Sindhurakshak had marked the beginning of a series of mishaps in the Navy last year which ultimately led to resignation of the then Navy chief Admiral D K Joshi on February 26.

The Navy has not ruled out sabotage angle as one of the possible causes behind the mishap